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Total Football as Mals Meet SV Alliance 22
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Malachians made history today when they formed a new alliance with Dutch club SV Alliance ’22 and played an entertaining friendly match at St. Malachy’s College. Congratulations to Arthur van den Boogaard and Mals’ secretary Gerry McKenna for all the hard work done behind the scenes in making the fixture happen and to committee members Vinty McGovern, Kevin Shiels and Bill Bannon who kept in close contact with the Dutch party throughout their visit , making the arrangements to ensure a memorable first visit to Belfast. Having been alerted to the Malachians club through the club website, and sharing club colours of black and green, the two teams developed an instant rapport and further contact between the two clubs in the future is planned.
The Dutch side surprised the home side with their tall stature and started the game in typical Dutch fashion knocking the ball around and keeping possession effortlessly, but this only lasted for a short period. Perhaps it was the sambucas they had enjoyed at Villa Italia or the pints of Guinness in the Bot afterwards the night before, but soon the pace slackened and Mals got into the game. An early cross by Ge Vissen was headed just off target by striker Misha van Oss. The friendly welcome didn’t last and soon Bobby Sheppard had to be spoken to by FIFA referee Larry Shields, who was clearly going to stand for no nonsense from anyone. Curley then found Moore but he shot wide and the chance was gone. Man mountain Anno Stobbelaar then produced a brave last ditch challenge to keep the sides level. Anno was later selected for a random drugs test by club doctor McGovern and surprised many by testing negative for nandrenolone, whilst several Mals players were clearly relieved not to be asked !
On ten minutes Mals went in front when a portly, captain for the day Dinger Bell, clearly missing the attentions of the personal trainer he had at his former club, slotted home after being put clear by Curley. Bell then harried Dutch keeper Marc Inmink into a uncharacteristic mistake but McHugh failed to hit the target with the goal unguarded. Moore then had another trade-mark miss from close range. Van Oss continued to pose the Mals problems on the right flank and on fifteen minutes Martin Jole went close with a long range effort.
Alliance were now starting to struggle, some saying they were treating the match like a training session, which was vehemently denied by the Dutch team, who pointed out that they never, ever trained ! The Dutch side started to defend deep, clearly happy to settle for just the one goal deficit in this the away fixture, but clearly were giving maestro Smyth too much room in the middle of the park, allowing Brendan Adams to go close with a long range effort and Sheppard to hit a post. A change was clearly needed for the Dutch side as the total football faded and Pin Berk and Roberto Lobosco replaced the tiring Lukas Appel and the impressive Mischa van Oss. This allowed the Dutch talisman Arthur van den Boogaard to come more into the game as the alcohol started to clear from his bloodstream. Mals too made several changes with the unlikely sight of Gerard replacing brother Micky Smyth, looking gorgeous after his recent nose job, Barry Begley replacing James Moore upfront, Gerry Adams junior replacing the impressive Conor McHugh and Tony McNally replacing the “there’s no such thing as a friendly” Sheppard. Mals finished the half on top but some glaring misses and some great goal keeping from away keeper Inminck kept the difference between the sides to that single goal.
HT Malachians 1 SV Alliance ‘22 0
After a vociferous and critical half time team talk, by video link, from Dutch coach Marco van Basten and with copious fluid replacement taken , it was a rejuvenated Alliance who took the field in the second period and within three minutes were deservedly back on level terms when substitute Pin Berk scored after a pin point cross by Gab Koops. Game on ! It was now clearly Mals turn to tire and with Martin Jole leading the line well , Koops a danger on the right flank, and Berno Tops getting a hold of things in the middle of the park , Alliance were well on top.
Ten minutes into the half Gerard Smyth played Dargan in , only to be foiled again by the Dutch keeper, who minutes later produced another full length save to keep the sides level. The Dutch keeper was finally beaten when Smyth put in Moore to score. Toon Kuhlmann , who caught the eye all afternoon, and is reportedly an Ajax target for next year, was replaced by the rejuvenated van Oss.
Referee Larry Shiels was taking some stick for some dubious diplomatic decisions , but handled his first European fixture with some aplomb, despite receiving copious verbal abuse from the home side, with Brendan Adams in particular throwing the toys out of the pram at every opportunity. Alliance were still well in the game with Ge Vissen sweeping away all danger at the heart of the defence and then a mix up in the Mals defence put van den Boogaard in only to be denied by a wonder save from Paul Fay onto the bar.
This seemed to take the wind out of the Dutch sails and Mals took full advantage. Gerry Adams junior finished off a Moore pass for 3-1, then Lobosco was lucky not to be booked by referee Shields for a rash challenge, before maestro Smyth dummied the keeper for 4-1 and a defensive mix-up allowed Bell in for his second and 5-1.
To their credit the Dutch side never gave up with Arthur van den Boogaard slotting home with his right foot, his left is only for standing on I am told, to reduce the deficit. Peter Stam then played in Berno Tops who failed to take the chance, followed shortly by another great save from the home keeper Fay.
In a final desperate throw of the dice , in a thinly disguised attempt to rescue something from the game, Alliance threw on Hugo Dargan and Brendan Adams to go 4-6-2. However the devious plan came to nothing, when master tactician McKay ,on the Mals touchline, after three attempts, finally counted the opposition numbers correctly and, showing his winner mentality, threw on a further two players himself. Bell completed his hat trick, making sure everyone knew in the process and the lively McCourt finished the scoring just before the end to leave the final score 7-2.
Well done to both sides for a great game. It was all European harmony back at the Blind Tiger and the Lisbon treaty was never even mentioned. The Dutch accepted the defeat graciously and showered the Mals with some generous gifts. In return they were happy to accept some traditional fluid Irish hospitality. So Mals won the first ever Malachians / SV Alliance 22 Friendship Trophy and there will be some competition for places if a further meeting takes place in Holland next year. Thanks again to the Blind Tiger for their hospitality and congratulations to everyone who contributed to making the whole day a great success.
FT Malachians 7 SV Alliance ‘22 2
Malachians: Fay Curley B.Adams G.Adams Dargan McCourt Sheppard M.Smyth McHugh Bell Moore G.Adams Jnr Begley McNally G.Smyth
SV Alliance: Marc Inmink, Lukas Appel, Berno Topps, Peter Stam, Anno Stobbelaar, Ge Vissen, Arthur van den Boogaard, Gab Koops, Mischa van Oss, Pin Berk, Roberto Lobosco, Toon Kuhlmann, Martin Jole
